KEY POINTS:
Paihia police are seeking three men in connection with a vicious assault in the Bay of Islands town early today.
A 25-year-old man received life-threatening injuries in and is in Auckland Hospital's intensive care unit.
Police said the man was outside the Lighthouse Tavern just as it closed about 3am when he was attacked by the trio.
All four men had been drinking in the tavern.
Police said they were "following strong lines of inquiry".
They want to speak to anyone who was in the tavern prior to the assault, or had witnessed anything outside the pub.
- NZPA
